


Lighting The Pyre

by Astral_Embers



Category: Septimus Heap - Angie Sage
Genre: Alchemie, Gen, Marcellus' story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:41:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27111361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astral_Embers/pseuds/Astral_Embers
Summary: It's been 500 years since Septimus arrived in the past and apprenticed to Marcellus. The Castle had re-opened the great chamber of Alchemie. All was good. Marcellus reminices on his life as an apprentice, his journey to become the Prime Alchemist and the mis-adventures along the way.
Kudos: 2





	Lighting The Pyre

**Author's Note:**

> No Idea how long this will be, I want to try to update once a month. New characters will be introduced later on, if you have an OC you want me to include shoot me a message :)
> 
> ~ Astral <3

# Lighting The Pyre

###  Chapter 1: The Last Alchemist

Marcellus Pye, first and last and first alchemist once again of the castle was wandering the labyrinth of tunnels beneath the town as he did so often to clear his thoughts. Something about the meandering pathways brought out a philosophical side of him so rarely seen in the day to day practicing of Alchemie and Physik. His staff now consisted of a solitary Simon Heap, and very occasionally one Lucy Heap who doted on her husband both at home and in the great chamber of Alchemie. Marcellus had told her many times that the chamber was a place of great importance and not a lovers nest, however after the frankly miraculous work Lucy had, rather unexpectedly, done on the chimney Marcellus was left without a leg to stand on, as Septimus would say. Lucy was a prodigy in her own right, masonry and construction came to her like swimming to a duck. And her talents were sorely needed in repairing the once great chamber and it's subsidiaries. Duglius and his fellow Drummins could only do so much to repair what had been lost after the Great Alchemie Disaster 500 years ago. Or rather, the Great Alchemie Betrayal as Marcellus had taken to calling it. The wounds left by Julius Pike would still take some time to heal, and while Marcellus had begun to forgive the blockheaded ex-ExtraOrdinary wizard, he was not yet ready to forget.

Marcellus's thoughts drifted to Simon. Now outfitted in Alchemie black (a much sleeker look than those at the wizard tower) he was a model apprentice, and while his years in the Darke would never truly leave him, he was shaping up to be an excellent alchemist. In fact Marcellus believed that those years would aid Simon greatly in his practices. All creatures needed a touch of the Darke, a healthy respect of it and the common sense when to pull back. These, Marcellus decided, Simon Heap had in droves. In the 500 or so years he had been the Prime Alchemist, Marcellus had only taken on a few apprentices, but the two Heap boys were by chance the finest of all of them. Septimus, the 7th son of a 7th son, had natural talent like Marcellus had never seen. But Simon, had a dedication that occasionally left Marcellus in awe. Perhaps it was because he grew up the eldest of 7 boys and had to hold that position, or maybe it was some other reason. Whatever it was, Simon's dedication to a task once he had set his mind to it would make him an incredibly successful alchemist, and an even more successful husband. That last thought caused a smirk to dance on the face of the old man. Lucy was a lucky woman indeed.

Marcellus turned a corner into another long passageway when a slight tinkling sound caught his attention. There on the ground lay a shard of smooth black glass. Instantly recognizable to Marcellus as one of his finest creations, and greatest regrets. The great glass of time. Or at least, a piece of it. How it found its was here after it shattered all those years ago Marcellus didn't know, but what he did know was that he was determined not to let anything like that happen again. Time was not to be toyed with. The glass crunched and crumbled beneath the heel of his shoe as Marcellus began his walk once more through the tunnels. His mood somewhat darker at the recollection of the wrong he had done to young Septimus. It had been nearly 3 years now since Septimus had been pushed through the time glass and (under duress) been made Marcellus' apprentice. 3 years since he returned with the secrets of Alchemie to finish the potion of eternal youth and revive Marcellus from his addled state of delirium that the years had inflicted upon him. Marcellus cared for the boy as his own Apprentice, or even his own son (not that he had had any children). Those were not happy times, or ones he particularly enjoyed dwelling on, as he still felt a huge regret from plucking Septimus from his time and stealing him away to the past. He also felt regret for the number of insects and rats he had eaten during his years of senility... Eternal life was not all it was cracked up to be without the blessing of eternal youth, and the years snuck up on him so quickly. Strange things happened to the mind when it realized it had passed its own life expectancy. The phantasms were the worst. Spectres and horrors reflected in mirrors, pools of water, the glass Alchemie bottles he loved so much. The shades of the past would reach out for him to reclaim what he had stolen from them. Luckily these passed in time. Though not soon enough. A mind that has decided that it should have stopped running a few decades ago was an amazingly resolute foe never mind one that should have faded hundreds of years past. A foe which would stoop to any level to attempt to push Marcellus into the gnarled hands of the Darke reaper. He shuddered that the thought, and at the memory of his mother.

The solid memory of her which tormented him in both life and death. Thanks must be given to madam Marcia for her exemplary skill at ridding the castle of her once and for all. Marcellus grinned at the thought as he continued his path through the labyrinthian passageways that led to the great chamber of Alchemie. He was not often one to give compliments, but Marcia Overstrand had proved herself as both guardian of the castle, Septimus and the Wizard Tower (though he dare not tell her) such as her ego was already two courses short of a banquet. But despite her general distrust in the Physikal and Alchemical arts, her general nosey-ness, her, quite frankly terrible people skills, not to mention her rather short temper and aloof attitude.... Marcellus stopped himself. It was natural for a competitive spirit to exist between the tower and the chamber, but in the spirit of collaboration, and trust Marcellus and Marcia had both promised Septimus to try to get along as equals. It would not do for Marcellus to break a promise to Septimus, and despite her shortcomings, Marcia did have an excellent taste in footwear.

His thoughts drifted down to the cobbler who had the honour of the patronage of both the Chief Alchemist and the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, and his excellent craftsmanship, and for a brief time they danced along the cobbles like giddy children after a rainstorm. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that were not for the blinding light of the shining, golden chamber of Alchemie, he would have scarcely noticed his arrival. The chamber shone once more. Duglius and the other Drummins had been working tirelessly to help him move 500 years worth of rubble and give the whole system a darn good clean. And finally, here it was. In all its splendour, the truly Great chamber, the centre of Alchemie from the icy wastes up north to the harbour in the south. Truly a place for legends to be made, but for now, Marcellus intended to reminisce and collect the parts for Simon's own Physik and Alchemie chest, just as he had done for Septimus, and as his me tor had done before him. From master to apprentice down the generations, the chest was an Alchemist's most trusted companion in foreign lands or at home. No matter the job it began, and ended, with the chest. As such it was important that it be of the best quality, and Marcellus intended to stay up to hand craft the instruments for Simon to use. It was a shame the heap family were all besotted with wizardry. Heaps made excellent Alchemists he thought to himself.


End file.
